The very next day Rock and I went into NYC for our last date.  It was the perfect night and the perfect ending to our time in the East.  We came here for the first time three years ago Memorial day weekend to see if we could live here.  I laugh now to think that back then I was scared of being mugged and left for dead in the street.  I didn’t think I should carry a purse for fear of being pick pocketed.  I was sure I would have to wade through garbage and step over homeless people in the subway.   But it’s not like that at all.  The streets are safe, I carry a purse now just like every other woman in New York and the subways are shockingly clean and free of graffiti.  Instead of fearing it, I’ve come to love New York in the time we’ve lived here. Rudy Giuliani is a hero in my book for cleaning up this city so that my family and I can enjoy it safely. 
Rock took me to Adrianne’s Pizza place on Stone St. in the financial district.  It was Saturday night so the streets were all quiet and empty until you go to this one street.  And then we turned the corner and it was raucous and alive.  It’s a street lined with restaurants that put tables out in the street in warm weather.  It was full of people-all under the age of 35 trying to pick up on each other.  It’s where all the Wall Street types and the women who love them, go to hang out after work or on the weekend.  It was basically a big outdoor bar.  The food was fantastic and it was such a fun little slice of New York.  I didn’t get a good picture, so here’s one I found online.

Next we stopped at a street vendor to buy a couple pictures of New York City to put up in our next home.  There were two guys with their little fold up tables crammed with pictures RIGHT next to each other trying to out sell the other.   Rock picked one of the city scape and I picked the Mall in Central Park. 
Then we finished our night by walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to watch the sunset-something I’ve wanted to do since the day we got here! 



The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building from midway across the bridge.

Our sad attempt at getting both of us and the bridge in the same picture.  Aren’t we attractive!
As we drove away from the city that night and I looked at it for the last time, I couldn’t help but cry a little.  When Rock first brought up the idea of even applying for a job in NYC I said, “NO way am I moving there”.  But we have had a fantastic experience.  I’ve learned so much about myself and what I am capable of in the last three years.  I conquered the subway and jug handles (in NJ you have to turn right to go left)- a feat I never thought possible.  I conquered our issues with homeschooling-a feat I also never thought possible and I grew to love New York City-a feat I never ever thought possible. 

Thank you, Rock, for bringing me here.